Thursday, January 12

Chiang Mai Part 1

i wish i could sum up chiang mai in just a few words. but since i lack neither apt-titude nor superior dexterity for the english language.. do bear with me.

despite being the second largest city of thailand, cbiang mai is surprisingly lacking, in terms of infrastructure, that is. but the disagreeable just stops there as even though it feels more like a country side (rather than city) there is a certain charm that i find extremely pleasing.

the entire city is understately clean and cost of living is unabashedly low. the roads, though well trodden on by tuk tuks and other vehicles, remain relatively unpolluted and free of honks, unlike bangkok. the people are unassuming and humorous and all in all, chiang mai feels 'safe'.

sleepy in the day, the main city is built for night life (think night bazaars and pubs) and there are only two central shopping malls for the city. pretty much unthinkable in singapore right?

as the city literally breeds on tourism, there is an abundance of western restaurants.. italian pizzerias, german dineries, english pubs and they have quite a thing for sausages and donuts. despite the obvious fleecing at the night bazaar when they realise you know not speak thai, the touristy scene doesn't bug me one bit.

all in all, chiang mai has hidden qualities that need a little prying here and there. however, once you get past the dusty streets and over- abundance of guesthouses, just sit back and enjoy the view from your rickety exhausted-sounding tuk- tuk.